Playboy Princes (Royals of Arbon Academy, #2)(82)

"I'm sorry," I whispered, not sure what I was apologizing for exactly, just that I needed to.

King Felipe shook his head. "Nothing to be sorry for, Violet. You need to follow your heart, same as we all do. Just try not to break my boy’s when you do finally make your mind up? Either of them."

Jesus fucking Christ. No pressure, or anything. He clearly thought of Jordan as family too, so really... I was fucked.

Neither one of us spoke for a few moments, and I couldn't help following King Felipe's line of sight. Across the room, Rafe and Jordan stood together with some of their other friends from the Royals soccer team, chatting and laughing. They were such good friends... Was I risking more than just a broken heart? Their bond of friendship was stronger than casual sex with some girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Wasn't it?

Claudette sidled up to Rafe, pawing at his arm with her hand that wasn't in a cast, and a selfish spike of satisfaction shot through me when he shook her off.

"King Felipe, may I ask you something?" I spoke before really processing my thoughts. But then, he'd told me during the week to always speak my mind around him. He nodded, and I pursed my lips in thought. "Why is Rafe still betrothed to Claudette? Knowing what you know... it’s just not adding up. I didn't pick you and Jacinta for the arranged marriage kind of parents. Not to mention..." I trailed off then because what I was about to say next was treading a line with so many royals in the room, including Claudette's parents, the king and queen of the Britains.

Felipe snorted a dry laugh. "Not to mention she's an insufferable, spoiled brat with a mean streak a mile wide? I'm all too aware." He released a long, tired-sounding sigh. "I can't tell you everything, Violet, you must understand." I nodded quickly. "But please trust me when I say Jas and I will never force our kids into a marriage they aren't happy with."

A small amount of anxiety shifted from my gut. It was a question that had been bothering me all week, having seen how much the king and queen of the Switzerlands loved their kids. The idea that they'd force Rafe into a marriage with the likes of Claudette, all for political alliances, it didn't fit with the people I'd gotten to know.

Reading between the lines? He'd done it to maintain their alliance with the Britains long enough to secure whatever he needed in regards to the satellite system still controlled by the Britains. Beyond that, I suspected he'd find some very convenient excuse for the betrothal contract to be ripped up.

"Good," I murmured, and King Felipe shot me an amused glance.

"Glad you approve, Ms. Spencer," he joked. "Care to take a look at my policies on climate change or the development of the deadlands next?"

I grinned back. "I'd love to. Just leave it on my desk by close of business?"

King Felipe laughed, but moments later the smile slipped from his face and he stiffened, looking at someone behind me. "Steve," he said, and I froze. "Lovely to see you. Is Sheila here?"

"She is," Alex's father replied, his voice deep and musical like his son’s. "I'm sure she'd love to catch up with Jacinta."

"Ah, that's a shame," Felipe replied, sounding anything but regretful. "Jacinta decided to stay home with the twins. Next time."

"Mmm yes," King Steve said like he couldn't care less, "Next time. Violet, my dear, you've been a hard woman to pin down tonight."

I turned a forced smile on Alex's slimy father and tried to hide my shudder of revulsion at his sexual innuendo. "King Steve," I said, keeping my voice calm and respectful, "what an honor to meet you in person."

His eyes flashed with something, but it was gone again in an instant. "Yes, well, I'd hoped to get to know you after the soccer match last weekend, but I understand you had better places to be." The reprimand was clear, and my stomach rolled with anxiety.

Thankfully, though, I still had the world's most powerful king on my side. "Yes, we're so sorry about that mix-up," Felipe apologized for me, sparing me the need to lie. "You know how our lovely queens can be when they get their minds set on something."

"Mmm," Steve murmured, and I got the distinct impression Queen Sheila didn't do anything without her husband's approval or permission. Poor woman. "Violet, may I have this dance?"

My stomach sank. People had been dancing all evening, waltzing like we'd stepped back in time a few hundred years, but I'd so far avoided making an idiot of myself.

"Uh," I stammered, frantically searching for an excuse. Trouble was, any kind of denial would be taken as an insult, I could just sense it. "Sure. But I should warn you I don't know how to dance. It wasn't something covered in my foster homes growing up."

That look was on his face again before he could hide it. It spoke of his disgust that the perfect “broodmare” for his son, the future leader of his country, had begun her life in the dregs of a foster home. He covered it quickly enough, but I was good at reading people.

I’d known exactly what he was thinking.

“Don’t worry your pretty little head about it,” he said with all the condescension in the world. “You only have to follow my lead. That’s always the most important part.”

And I could read between those lines, too.